TWTW - it was the June-iest of weekends.

Friday night was scintillating as always. Reading, weights, hanging with dogs, grocery delivery, dinner a la MFD. This is 38.

Saturday Farmer's Market and errands. At market I got bone broth to add to the dogs' food (great for their joints), chicken breast, spring mix, spinach, peas, gouda, eggs, and a freaking amazing peach cardamom cake with almond streusel.

In the afternoon I deadheaded flowers and cleaned out my car. You know, the stuff you don't want to do but you have to do. I did find our marriage certificate paperwork in the car...we'll be married five years in September. Whoops.

Saturday afternoon we attended the annual bike race party at Heather & DJ's. Great food including DJ's awesome homemade barbecue sauce line and one of the best cupcakes I've ever eaten in my life. It was a wonderful day to be outside and catch up with some old friends of ours and my parents.

Sunday I did the usual: change sheets, wash sheets and towels, blog, read...I also enjoyed coffee in my new mug from Carol, sorted through my sunblock to see what I need to buy for vacation, did a little bit of work work, and hung out with los perros in blissful silence - no TV or radio.

Sunday afternoon we had a delicious dinner at Stephen & Aubrey's including strawberry pie, which I love. I also tried corn on the cob (cut off the cob of course) with Old Bay on the recommendation of Aub's mom. It was delicious. It was a lovely afternoon to sit outside and their backyard is awesome.

Weekly food prep: Breakfasts are egg muffins with spinach, ham, and cheese. Since I am a nice wife I made some for MFD also. Lunches are turkey over spring mix with veggies; snacks are strawberries, peppers and peas, and greek yogurt; dinners are a grilled chicken thighs and veggies and turkey breast with steamed veggies.

Food for parties: pasta salad with mozzarella, tomatoes, EVOO, and pesto for the barbecue Saturday, veggie pizzas for Stephen & Aubrey's on Sunday.

Tomorrow! It's my favorite day of the month - the Show Us Your Books Linkup with me & Jana. Can't wait to see what you've been reading.

How was your weekend?

Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending

Friday Five: Scenes de la semana

TGIF my friends! It's been a week. A week in which we had a lot of unplanned expenses of the car and dog variety, a week in which I lost the battle against the dog hair in the house, a week in which I didn't get solid sleep. So yes, I'm happy to see the return of the weekend. I need a recharge. 

Scenes from the week...

1. I watched all 10 episodes of the first season of Bosch in less than 24 hours, and I worked and slept a lot of those hours. So you might say I liked the show. I also watched a bunch of Laguna Beach this week. Hello, 2004. Missed you. Remember when people wore those hideous "necklaces?" Not a good look for you, KCav.

2. I love the nail place near my work. I go in at lunch and tell them I don't have much time. I get a pedicure, manicure, and brow wax and am back at my desk within 50 minutes. They rock. I'm still working through my nail polish collection and not repeating until I go through them all. I got Zoya Kristi on my toes and Essie Shop 'Til I Drop on my nails. The Essie has since been tossed because I don't need that so light it might as well be clear polish in my life. This nail polish using is forcing me to see what I like and don't so I can cull the polish herd. Always a good thing.

3. Tuesday night I was at the vet with Mae and Gus, who caused a scene like you wouldn't believe. Gus struts in there like King Shit, assuming a seat on my lap so he can see everyone before barking directly at each person and dog until they acknowledge his presence with a laugh or a cower. Mae danced at my feet on the floor, alternately barking and whining like Gus's little henchman. Once we get in the room, Gus pants like he's run a marathon and Mae is nosier than Gladys Kravitz. Did I mention it was raining and they tripped me with their leashes after I paid? Wild jackals, I tell you. They are a nightmare at the vet. So that was Tuesday. Wednesday my baby Geege got extensive dental work done. He had to be put under and I was a wreck all day. Wednesday night we tried to ease him back into home while he tripped his face off from pain medication. So two very expensive vet visits this week. I'll be happy not to visit the vet again for a while. Oh never mind, all three have to go back for the second part of a booster in the next two weeks. Shenanigans await.

4. Is she a hero in my life? No. Do I think she could be a hero to people struggling with a transgender identity issues? Absolutely. I wonder if the people who can't reconcile the idea of more than one type of hero in their minds are just intellectually incapable of doing so. Some people are heroes to many, and some people are heroes to specific groups of people, and more than one type of hero can co-exist in this universe. There are many ways to be heroic, courageous, and brave. One's life does not need to be in danger from outside forces or disease to be any of those things. I count suffragettes among my heroes and I'm pretty sure many people who were never denied the right to vote wouldn't. But if you told me they were not heroes I'd tell you to go fuck yourself because to me, they are. Just because someone is not a hero to you doesn't mean they can't be a hero to someone else. Heroes are personal. It is not for us to decide  who holds the title of hero for someone else. Live and let live.

5. Happy birthday to two lovely ladies today: my BFF Kim and Jana. Enjoy, friends!

I opened on a sour note and will end on an up: I read two books this week, finalized my bathing suit situation for the summer, and got my hair cut & colored by the fabulous Kristi at Sensational Scissors. I always love to spend time with her. And of course, vacation is three short weeks away from today. I'm hanging on for it.

Wishing you & yours a recharging weekend full of awesome shit.

Choose Your Own Adventure Goal Setting Challenge - It's a Wrap with the May Results

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<a href="http://www.lifeaccordingtosteph.com/" title="Life According to Steph"><img src="http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae274/venustrappedinmars/GoalSettingLinkup.png" alt="Life According to Steph" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

May's Choose Your Own Adventure challenge had the monthly theme of READ. My goals were:

1) Get current on magazines. Pass even though I cheated. I ended up just passing a bunch on to my mom without reading them, then I spent the rest of the time reading all the May mags and getting current. That took me until 5/31. 

2) Read an Agatha Christie Miss Marple novel. I'm giving myself a pass because I attempted it and hated it. I won't force myself to read a book I don't like because it's on an arbitrary list I've created.
3) Read five books total including the above. Success! I finished seven books in May, started and stopped two more, and then really started and stuck with a tenth book the last day of the month that I have since finished.

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We've been at this since September, and it's been a nice ride. I've enjoyed seeing how everyone interpreted the monthly themes. I know personally I've built upon some of the goals I've had and they're now regular things for me, which is always nice too, when a goal leads to a lifestyle change.

Before I wrap up, I need to wish my brother Stephen a happy birthday today! Here's a little throw back for you for Thursday.

Thank you all so much for participating over the past nine months. 

An InLinkz Link-up

Cold Taco Dip

Ingredients (can be halved and made in an 8x8 dish)

2 8 oz packages of softened cream cheese

16 oz sour cream

2 package taco seasoning mix (since I make my own, I use 6-7 tablespoons of that) *** recipe below

shredded lettuce (too lazy to cut it, I buy it like that and do a quick rough chop of it. 

sliced grape tomatoes 

sliced black olives

finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

***Homemade taco seasoning
1 tbs chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper


Mix together and use 3 tablespoons for a packet.  I typically make a large amount and store in an airtight glass container.

Directions

Cream together cream cheese, sour cream and taco mix. I do this in a mixer so I don't have to actually mix it but I did it by hand for years. 

Spread mixture in a 9x11 cake pan. 

Sprinkle with a bit of cheese, arrange tomatoes and olives to your liking, add some lettuce and some more cheese. Punctuate with tomatoes and olives. 

Serve with chips or veggies.  

My friend Melissa was the first person I knew to serve food at a party - she was doing it even when we were in high school and just wanted to throw down some gross beers we managed to secure from sources that shall remain nameless. The rest of us didn't really get the memo that a proper gathering has good snacks until years later. I always associate this type of dip with her.

This is legitimately one of the easiest apps known to man. Perfect to throw together quickly for a last minute gathering. You can add salsa, refried beans, taco meat, etc. to this dip to make it more complicated, but I like to keep it simple.
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Haikuesday

Apps are where it's at.
Chips and dip - three magic words.
Pass me a plate please. 

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TWTW - the last one in May

Friday I was over over the city. It was hot but a lovely day in Philly.

Friday night I finished Bloodline and then we went to get ice cream. Boom. I also got a new watermelon cooler bag, thanks to Shanna from Because Shanna Said So for directing me to it.

The watermelon cooler bag came in very handy at the Farmers' Market Saturday morning. Local friends, you should check out the Far Northeast Farmers' Market. There is absolutely nothing like fresh, local food...and my dogs are very partial to the treats there too. I got strawberries, mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, spring mix, spinach, lemon and kale hummus, pork tenderloin, eggs, dog treats, soap. Back at home I did weights, put away laundry, and then sat out back with the dogs and enjoyed the nice breeze.

We spent the afternoon and early evening at Mom & Rich's pool with Stephen, then later Aubrey and Rich.

We headed to the Rover for wings and in celebration of Aubrey's official name change. Isn't it always the way that you see people you rarely see when you are un-showered and looking like a hobo in public? It was nice to see you Jen & Mandi!

MFD watched American Sniper and I laid in bed for a zillion hours unable to fall asleep. I hate that. Sunday I was up early doing some food prep, which was super easy again this week. I'm coming to the last week of my freezer cleanout. Breakfasts are peanut butter and bananas on light whole grain english muffins; lunches are turkey/feta/spinach burgers over spring mix; snacks are greek yogurt, cucumbers, and carrots; dinners are a shit ton of grilled chicken of various types as well as steamed and grilled veggies and scrambled eggs. MFD is on another cleanse so we're cleaning shit up again in our house.

Sunday was awesome in that I didn't have anything specific to do so I puttered and did things here and there not off of any list. I tended flowers, read some mags and started a new book, changed sheets and washed the dirty ones and towels, went through my bathing suits, cleaned out two places MFD shoves shit (drawer in front table and bowl on dining room table) as well as my bin in the bedroom that serves as a catch all.

Later I made rubs for all the grilled meats and prepped veggies for the grill. A nice and easy day to end the weekend. I also watched a bunch of Bosch episodes. I love Titus Welliver. I'm a fan. Thanks Kathy B for the recommendation!

And...it's June. Happy happy birthday to Kimmy Foo Foo today.

Some housekeeping - the final Choose Your Own Adventure Goal Setting Challenge linkup is this Thursday. The May theme was read and you're reporting in on how you did. A week from tomorrow (Tuesday, June 9) is the next Show Us Your Books Linkup. Thank you kindly.

Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending